Article supporting and dispensing device



1964 L. s. BENDL 3,

ARTICLE SUPPORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Fil-ed Aug. .28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet v1 BY M Dec. '8 1964 EL. '5. .BE'NDL ARTICLE SUPPORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. L50 ,BE/VDL ATTOE/VEXS Dec. 8, 1964 L. s. BENDL ARTICLE; SUPPORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 28, 1963 INVENTOR. LEO 8. BENDL Dec. 8, 1964 1.. 5. BENDL 3,150,314

ARTICLE SUPPORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l inhl l l E MM 49 INVENTOR.

L50 6. BE/VDL BY WW A 7' 7' GENE V5 United States Patent 3,160,314 ARTICLE SUPPQRTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Lee S. Bendl, 43 Grove Sit, South Hackensack, NJ. Filed Aug. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 305,058 3 Claims. (Qt. 221-30) This invention relates to an article dispensing device for supporting and successively discharging articles.

An object of the invention is to provide an article dispenslng device with one or more banks of verticall spaced platforms for supporting articles to be discharged and which platforms are pivoted for movement from article supporting relation to downwardly directed relation for successively discharging the articles supported thereon beginning with the lowermost platform.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a platform release which controls the release of the platforms respectively for successively releasing the platforms for discharging the articles therefrom beginning with the lowermost platform.

More particularly, the invention resides in a platform release and lever control means mounted for reciprocatory movement for effecting release of the lowermost platform for movement thereof to discharge the article supported thereby and whereby each subsequent reciprocatory movement of said lever control means releases the next lowermost platform for the discharge of the article supported thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of pivotally mounted patforrns for movement from substantially horizontal relation to downwardly directed relation for discharging articles therefrom, a platform release which includes a vertical reciprocatory bar and a release pawl for each platform pivoted thereto and having upper and lower fingers, a spring bias latch means carried by each platform and disposed with the inner ends thereof located between the fingers of the release pawls respectively and lever control means connected with said pawl bar and having reciprocatory movement whereby successive reciprocations of said control means effects reciprocatory movement of said pawl bar to successively release the platforms for movement to downwardly directed relation for discharging the articles supported thereon beginning with the lowermost platform with the first reciprocatory actuation of said lever control means and upon each successive reciprocatory movement thereof effecting the release of the next lower platform for movement thereof to said downwardly directed relation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an article supporting and dispensing device constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of a fragmentary portion of one of the banks of the article supporting and dispensing means with one of the platforms shown in the discharged position.

, FIG. 3 is-a view in rear elevation thereof.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of one of the banks showing three of the platforms in position for supporting articles thereon.

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing one of the platforms about to be released from the article supporting relation for discharging the article.

Referring to the drawings, the article supporting and 3,160,314 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 rality of platforms 11 for supporting the articles thereon and which platforms are arranged in one or more banks with the platform disposed in vertical alignment and with the banks arranged in spaced apart relation. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, three such banksare fragmentarily illustrated in broken lines and each of the banks may have any desired number of platforms. The platforms are mounted for swinging movement from article supporting relation to depending relation for discharging the articles therefrom. For this purpose, the platforms are pivoted on pivot pins 12 mounted in the side flanges 13 of a channel shaped member 14 for each bank and which channel shaped members are affixed in any desired manner to the casing 10 the platforms extending forwardly thereof. The pivot pins 12 extend through side flanges 16 depending from the inner end portions of the platform respectively The platforms are retained in substantially horizontal article supporting relation by means of a spring latch 17 for each platform which is pivoted against the upper face thereof as at 18. The spring latches are notched at their side edges so as to provide T-shaped inner ends 19 which project inwardly beyond the platforms and through medial openings 29 in the web of the channel shaped member 14. Leaf springs 21 are riveted to the platforms as at 22 and extend into overlying relation with the spring latches so as to bias the same into flat engagement with the platforms respectively. The openings 20 in the web of the channel shaped member 14 are reduced in width in the lower portions thereof by the web portions 23 through which reduced openings project the neck portions of the T-shaped inner ends 19 of the spring latches 17 whereby the T-shaped inner ends engage against the portions 23 of the web to retain the platforms in substantially horizontal relation until the spring latches are elevated above the tops thereof so as to free the platforms for swinging movement to depending relation respectively.

In order to successively release the platforms beginning with the lowermost platform for discharging the articles therefrom, a release mechanism is provided for each bank of platforms consisting of a pawl bar 24 which is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocatory movement in slotted upper andlower brackets 25 and 26 aflixed to the rear. of the channel shaped member 14. A control lever 27 is pivotally connected to the pawl bar 24 on a pivot pin 28 for manually or otherwise actuating the pawl bar for effecting vertical reciprocatory movement thereof, Pivotally mounted on the pawl bar 24 on pivot pins 29 for limited movement are vertically spaced pawls 30 having vertically spaced forwardly projecting upper and lower fingers 31 and 32. The upper fingers 31 have substantially horizontal upper edges 33 and forwardly inclined lower edges 34, while the lower fingers 32 have substantially horizontal lower edges 35.

The pawl bar 24 is of angulated shape in cross-section and is provided with slotted openings 36 in the forward flange 37 thereof which openings 36 correspond in number to the number of platforms. The upper finger 31 of the uppermost pawl projects through the uppermost opening 3-6 into overlying relation with the T-shaped end 19 of the spring latch of the uppermost platform. For each platform below the uppermost platform an upperfinger 31 a lower finger 32 of adjacent pawls are disposed in side by side relation and project forwardly through one of the openings 36 into overlying relation with one of the T-shaped ends 19 of the spring latches of the platforms respectively when the platforms are in article supporting relation as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. For this purpose the pawls 30 are each olfset inwardly as at 39 and 49 to dispose the areas therebetween in offset relation for receiving an upper finger 31 of an adjacent lower pawl at one side of said offset portion. The forward edges of the pawls adjacent the upper fingers 31 are dis-- posed against the inside face of the flange 37 to thereby retain the pawl in position as shown in FIG. of the drawings and limit the downward movement thereof.

The pawl bar 24 is biased by a spring 42 to retain the same in its normal uppermost position and with the control lever 27 retracted. By manipulation of the control lever 27 the pawl bar 24 is moved downwardly against the tension of the spring 42 from the position shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings to the position shown in FIG. 6 thereof. With this movement of the pawl bar the upper finger 31 of the lowermost pawl cams over the T-shaped end 19 of the spring latch of the lowermost platform to a position therebelow as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The lower fingers 32 of the pawls above the lowermost pawl seat on the T-shaped ends of the spring latches 17 respectively so as to swing the pawls to dispose the upper fingers 31 away from the said T-shaped ends 19. Upon release of the control lever 27 the pawl bar is biased to its uppermost position and the upper finger of the lowermost pawl engages the T-shaped ends 19 of the spring latch and moves the spring latch upwardly against the bias of the spring 21 above the retaining web portions 23 whereby the lowermost platform is released for downward swinging thereof by gravity for the discharge of the article supported thereon. The article is discharged upon an inclined trough 43 which projects through the front wall of the casing in convenient position to be picked up.

Each of the control levers 27 includes angularly disposed bars 44 and 45 which are pivotally connected by a pivot pin 46. The bar 44 extends upwardly and is formed with an ofiset portion 56 at its upper end which is pivoted to the pawl bar 24 by the pivot pin 28. A bar 51 is alfixed to the offset portion 50 and extends down- I wardly and [forwardly with the outer free end thereof projecting through an opening 52 in the web of the channel shaped member 14. The bar 45 projects through a guide opening 46 in the flange 53 of an angulated plate 47 which is aflixed to the side flange 13 of the channel shaped member 14. By this arrangement the pawl bar 24 is moved downwardly against the bias of the spring 42 by an outward pull on the bar 45 of said control lever as herein before described. The bars 45 project through openings 54 in the forward wall of the casing ll) with the free ends thereof in convenient position to be manually actuated. I

Each of the shelves 11 is formed with a narrow extension 55 which extends inwardly under the T-shaped extension 19 of the spring latch 17. The shelves are formed with depending inner ends 56 which are connected with the side flanges 16 and from which inner ends the extensions 55 are formed.

The channel shaped members 14 are secured in fixed position in the casing 10 as by the angle brackets 48 and 49 secured to one of the slide flanges 13 thereof and to top and bottom walls of the casing.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited but shall include any and modifications thereof which falls within the perview thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for supporting and successively discharging articles, the combination comprising a housing, a support arranged in fixed position in the housing, a plurality of platforms for supporting articles to be discharged from the casing, means pivotally mounting said platforms on said support in vertically spaced relation for movement from substantially horizontal relation to downwardly directed relation for discharging the articles therefrom, a

platform release including a vertical recinpocatory pawl bar, means carried by said support mounting said pawl bar for reciprocatory movement, a pawl for each platform pivoted to said pawl bar in vertically spaced relation and having upper and lower fingers, a spring biased latch means swingably carried by each platform, said latch means protruding through openings in said support, interengageable means carried by said latch means and said support for each platform retaining said platforms in said substantially horizontal relation, biasing means retaining said pawl bar in normally disposed upward position with the protruding ends of the latch means located between the fingers of the pawls'respectively, lever control means pivotally connected with said pawl bar and carried by said frame for reciprocatory movement thereof, said control means being adapted to be actuated in one direction for moving said pawl bar downwardly against the bias thereof whereby the upper finger of the lowermost pawl earns over the latch means into operative position therebelow and whereby upon actuation of the lever means in the opposite direction the pawl bar is moved upwardly and the upper finger of the lowermost pawl swings the latch means of the lowermost platform out of engagement with the support to thereby release the lowermost platform for the discharge of the article supported thereonand whereby each subsequent reciprocatory movement of said lever control means effects movement of the pawl bar to release the then lowermost substantially horizontal platform for the discharge of the article supported thereon.

2. In a device for supporting and successively discharging articles, the combination comprising a housing, a support arranged in fixed position in the housing, a plurality of platforms for supporting articles to be discharged from the casing, means pivotally mounting said platforms on said support in vertically spaced relation for movement from substantially horizontal relation to downwardly directed relation for discharging the articles therefrom, a platform release including a pawl bar, means carried by said support mounting said pawl bar for reciprocatory movement, a pawl for each platform pivoted to said pawl bar in vertically spaced relation and having upper and lower fingers, a spring biased latch means swingably carried by each platform, said latch means protruding through openings in said support with the protruding ends thereof located between the fingers of the pawls respectively, interengagea-ble means carried by said latch means and said support retaining said platforms in said substantially horizontal relation, lever control means pivotal-1y connected with said :pawl bar and carried by said support for reciprocatory movement, said lever control means being movable in one direction for moving said pawl bar to dispose the upper finger of the lowermost pawl in operative position below the latch means of said lowermost platform and dispose the lower fingers of the remaining pawls in supported engagement on the latch means of the remaining platforms to thereby swing said remaining pawls to move the upper fingers thereof away -from the latch means of said remaining pawls with the downward movement of said pawl bar whereby upon movement of said lever control means in the opposite direction the pawl bar is moved to thereby move the upper finger of the lowermost pawl to swing the latch means of the lowermost platform out of engagement with the support and release the lowermost platform for the discharge of the article supported thereon.

3. In a device for supporting and successively discharging articles, the combination comprising a housing, a support arranged in fixed position in the housing, a plurality of platforms for supporting articles to be discharged from the casing, means pivotally mounting said platforms on said support in vertically spaced relation for movement from substantially horizontal relation to downwardly directed relation for discharging the articles therefrom, a platform release including a pawl bar, means carried by said support mounting said pawl bar (for reciprocatory movement, a pawl for each platform pivoted to said pawl bar in vertically spaced relation and having upper and lower fingers, a spring biased latch means swingably carried by each platform, said latch means protruding through openings in said support with the protruding ends thereof located between the fingers of the pawl-s respectively, interengageable means carried by said latch means and said support retaining said platforms in said substantially horizontal relation, lever control means pivotally connected with said pawl bar and carried by said support for reciprocatory movement whereby movement of said control means in one direction efiects movement of said pawl bar to dispose an upper finger of a pawl below said latch means and upon movement of said control means in the opposite direction effects movement of said upper finger to move said latch means out of engagement with said support to thereby release a platform for movement to downwardly directed relation for discharging the article supported thereon beginning with the lowermost platform and upon each successive reciprocatory movement of said control means effecting the release of the latch means of another platform for movement thereof to said downwardly directed relation.

No references cited 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND SUCCESSIVELY DISCHARGING ARTICLES, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A HOUSING, A SUPPORT ARRANGED IN FIXED POSITION IN THE HOUSING, A PLURALITY OF PLATFORMS FOR SUPPORTING ARTICLES TO BE DISCHARGED FROM THE CASING, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID PLATFORMS ON SAID SUPPORT IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO DOWNWARDLY DIFROM SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL RELATION TO DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED RELATION FOR DISCHARGING THE ARTICLES THEREFROM, A PLATFORM RELEASE INCLUDING A VERTICAL RECIRPOCATORY PAWL BAR FOR RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT, A PAWL FOR EACH PLATFORM BAR, FOR RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT, A PAWL FOR EACH PLATFORM PIVOTED TO SAID PAWL BAR IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION AND HAVING UPPER AND LOWER FINGERS, A SPRING BIASED LATCH MEANS SWINGABLY CARRIED BY EACH PLATFORM, SAID LATCH MEANS PROTRUDING THROUGH OPENINGS IN SAID SUPPORT, INTERENGAGEABLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LATCH MEANS AND SAID SUPPORT FOR EACH PLATFORM RETAINING SAID PLATFORMS IN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL RELATION, BIASING MEANS RETAINING SAID PAWL BAR IN NORMALLY DISPOSED UPWARD POSITION WITH THE PROTRUDING ENDS OF THE LATCH MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN THE FINGERS OF THE PAWL RESPECTIVELY, LEVER CONTROL MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID PAWL BAR AND CARRIED BY SAID FRAME FOR RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT THEREOF, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED IN ONE DIRECTION FOR MOVING SAID PAWL BAR DOWNWARDLY AGAINST THE BASIS THEREOF WHEREBY THE UPPER FINGER OF THE LOWERMOST PAWL CAMS OVER THE LATCH MEANS INTO OPERATIVE POSITION THEREBELOW AND WHEREBY UPON ACTUATION OF THE LEVER MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THE PAWL BAR IS MOVED UPWARDLY AND THE UPPER FINGER OF THE LOWERMOST PAWL SWINGS THE LATCH MEANS OF THE LOWERMOST PLATFORM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SUPPORT TO THEREBY RELEASE THE LOWERMOST PLATFORM FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THE ARTICLE SUPPORTED THEREON AND WHEREBY EACH SUBSEQUENT RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER CONTROL MEANS EFFECTS MOVEMENT OF THE PAWL BAR TO RELEASE THE THEN LOWERMOST SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLATFORM FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THE ARTICLE SUPPORTED THEREON. 